Machine for testing golf balls and the like



July 26, 1938. w. w. CRANFORD HAL ,11 24,731

MACHINE FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS AND THE LIKE Filed Maich 16, 1936 4Sheets-Sheet 1 GEORGEIBUTLER y 1938. w. w. CRANFORD El AL. 2,124,731

MACHINE FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS AND THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 2 l'zmvazz@w WILBE RT GRANFORD GEORGE [.15 H. ER

y 1938. w. w. cRANFoRD Er AL 2,124,731

MACHINE FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS AND THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1936 4Sheets-Sheet 3 146 5 .1 17 67 W 24 156 36 l l 74 F'E 57 Q A157 3 i 94 0i 1 J a Q 9 86 46 121 126 iOa \K I 128 WILBERTWGRAMFaRD GEZ R ZZZBfiR Ia MWWBM w July 26, 1938. w. w. CRANFORD Er AL 2,124,731

MACHINE FORTESTING GOLF BALLS AND THE LIKE Filed March 16, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 4 59 as j Dzve/z l oi'xs. WILBERTW GRAwFoRo GEORGE LBUTLERPatented July 26, 1938 PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR TESTING GOLF BALLS ANDTHE LIKE Wilbert W. Cranforcl and George 1. Butler, La Grange, 111.

Application March 16, 1936, Serial No. 68,996

18 Claims.

Our invention consists of a machine for testing the resilience andelastic response of golf balls under conditions the same as thoseobtained in using such balls in play, as a result of which the relativeplaying value of such balls, for example, in driving, may be accuratelydetermined in advance. Our invention includes an impact member having animpact surface for striking a ball or article being tested; means formoving said member from a potential position to said impact position andfor repeatedly developing the same momentum at said impact position, forsuccessive testing operations; a reaction member associated with a ballor article in testing position, and movable by reaction of a tested ballor article from impact of said impact member; loading means for opposingreactive movement of said reaction member; registering devices forindicating the reactive movement of said reaction member; operatingmechanism for said registering devices, which is inactive duringreactive movement of said reaction member, and which is operative duringreturn movement of said reaction member to its position of rest;retracting mechanism for moving the impact member back from its impactposition, after impact with a ball or article being tested, whereby uponimpact with a ball or article being tested, the impact member may followthrough with the same effect as in golf strokes properly applied, and beat once retracted to permit the reaction member to fully return to itsposition of rest adjacent to the next ball or article to be tested, whenin its impact position; setting mechanism for moving the impact memberto a potential position for movement when released, to its impactposition, and also for moving the retracting mechanism to its setposition out of the path of impact movement of the impact member; andretarding devices for the operating mechanism of the registeringdevices, insuring accurate operation of the registering devices andcushioned movement to its position of rest, of the reaction member. Theimpact member and the reaction member, as embodied in our machinedescribed herein as illustrative of our invention, are in the form ofgravity-actuated oscillatory arms, and while the operation of themachine is described in connec tion with testing golf balls, it will beunderstood that our invention is applicable to the testing of theresilience and elastic response of any articles susceptible of beingcompressed by impact and of quickly reacting to their originalconformations.

Our invention will be best understood by reference tothe accompanyingdrawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1shows our machine in front elevation, with the dial thereof broken awayto more clearly show parts of the construction,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with the dialshown in horizontal, sectional view,

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view to an enlarged scale, of thestructure shown in Fig. 2, taken along the line 33, I

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation to an enlarged scale, of the machine shown inFigs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional view to an enlarged scale, of thestructure shown in Fig. 2, taken along the line 5-5,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view to an enlarged scale, of a partof the structure shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 6-6,

Fig. 7 shows in a view similar to Fig. 2 and to an enlarged scale, thedevices employed to release the mechanism for restoring the registeringdevices to their zero or initial position,

Fig. 8 shows in a view similar to Fig. 3, and to a much enlarged scale,parts of the pawls and ratchet wheel constituting part of the mechanismfor operating the registering devices.

Fig. 9 is a vertical, sectional view to an enlarged scale, of a part ofthe structure shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line 9-9,

Fig. 10 is a horizontal, sectional View to a further enlarged scale, ofa part of the structure shown in Fig. 4, taken along the line liilii,and

Fig. 11 is a vertical, sectional view to a further enlarged scale, of apart of the structure shown in Fig. 2, taken along the line H-l I.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, our testing machine consists of a baseIi), which preferably is of massive material, for example, iron orsteel, supporting a vertical post ll carrying the operating mechanism,and at its front portion, supporting a horizontal bar l2 carrying theregistering mechanism of the machine.

The post ll supports a plate [3 which in turn supports upper and lowerbearing housings M and 15 respectively supporting the impact arm [6 andthe reaction arm IT for oscillatory movement. The housing I5 is notshown in Figs. 1 and 2, as it is concealed by other parts of themachine.

In Fig. 1, the reaction arm I1 is shown in its position of rest, saidarm having secured to its lower end portion, a cage [8 for holding aball I9,

or other article to be tested, in impact position, the upper end portionof said arm having secured thereto a weight 29 counterbalancing thelower portion of said arm and the parts carried thereby, about itspivotal support. The impact arm I6 carries at its outer end, a weight 2|having an impact surface 2 la for engaging the ball at nearly the end ofits downward swing. The impact arm I6 is shown in Fig. 1, in its impactposition, beyond which it moves to the left during an impact swing,until a spring 22 carried by said arm engages a tripping screw 23carried by a retracting lever 24 which then is in vertical or setposition, to release said lever and permit it to function as belowdescribed. In this manner, the impact surface 2Ia, after striking theball I9, continues its movement through the impact position shown inFig. 1, aifording a reaction surface for the compressed face of theball, in substantially the same manner that the face of a playing clubaffords such a surface during the follow through of a stroke in actualplay. The reaction of the ball is thus communicated to the cage I8 andto the reaction arm II, and the amount of the reactive movement of thearm I! is a measure or indication of the amount of the reaction of theball to the impact, and affords an indication of the liveliness of theball. This quality of the ball depends upon two factors, first, itselasticity, that is, how perfectly it will return to its original ornormal shape after being compressed by impact, and second, its quicknessof elastic response, that is, how quickly it will return to its normalshape. For obviously, in play, the flight of the ball depends not onlyon its elasticity, but also on whether its reactive responseelastically, is accomplished while still in contact with the impactsurface of the playing club. By providing impact relations in ourmachine which are of the same kind as exist in actual play, we are ableto accurately measure and grade the playing value of the golf ballstested. Again, it is known, that differences in mass of the balls,affect their re sponse in actual play. As a result of the impactrelations referred to in our machine, such mass differences producecorresponding reaction differenees, which are factors in integrating thefactors involved in reaction of the balls to impact, and the reactivemovement of said reaction arm, is a correct indication of suchintegration.

In Fig. 1, the reaction arm is shown in its position of rest or itsinitial position, before it has reacted to the left from the impactcommunicated to the ball I9 by the impact arm I6. In so reacting andswinging to the left, the reaction arm I! carries the cage I8 with it,and the ball I9 which is then free, rolls on to and down a dischargerunway 25 to a trough 26 out of the path of the reaction arm I1, forremoval at the convenience of the operator. As below described, thereaction arm I1, excepting for a predetermined load upon it, which ispreferably constant to afford accurate and relative indications of theplaying value of balls successively tested, is free from retardingforces and does no other work, to

the end that the amount of its reactive swing will be an accurateindication of the playing value of a tested ball, and to measure theamount of said reactive swing and indicate said playing value, weprovide registering devices operated as below described by returnmovement of the reaction arm to its position of rest. It is thusnecessary that the reaction arm return positively to its position ofrest to effect accurate operation of the registering devices, and it isalso important that said return movement be dampened to avoid injury tothe parts that might result from a free swing of the reaction arm to itsposition of rest, and abruptly stopping said return swing by unyieldingsurfaces required for accuracy, to establish a fixed position for saidposition of rest, as well as to avoid any and all rebound of thereaction arm from its position of rest, since said rebound would give afalse reading to the registering devices.

The follow through movement of the weight 2i, causes the weight to movea little to the left (viewing Fig. 1) of the position occupied by theball I9, before the tripping screw 23 is operated by the spring 22, in.which position the impact arm I6 would prevent the reaction arm I1 fromreturning to its position of rest, by engaging the cage IS. Theretracting lever 24, as will be shown, is pivotally supported at itslower end on the base I9, and as shown in Fig. 1, has extending to theright from its upper portion, a retracting arm 21 carrying at its righthand end, a cam arm 28 provided at its upper end with a cam 29 forengagement by an inclined plate 30 carried by the impact arm I6, whenthe latter is moved in the manner below described, to its set orpotential position. Such engagement of the cam 29 by the plate 39,raises the retracting arm 21 and moves the retracting lever 24 tovertical position, in which position it is held until released, as willbe described, by operation of the tripping screw 23, to permit thefollow through movement of the impact arm I6. The operation of thetripping screw 23 at the end of said follow through movement, releasesthe retracting lever 24, and the weight of the arms 21 and 28 moves theretracting lever 24 to the right to the position shown in Fig. 1, duringwhich movement a stud 3I carried by said lever, engages the impact armIB and retracts it from its follow through position to substantially theposition shown in Fig. 1. Since this retracting movement of the impactarm I6 occurs immediately at the end of the follow through movement ofsaid impact arm, it occurs during the reactive swing of the reaction armI1, thereby removing all obstruction to the positive return of thereaction arm I! to its position of rest.

To dampen the return movement of the reaction arm I! to its position ofrest, a dash pot 32 is supported on the base ID, with its pistonconnected with a bar 33 movable laterally on said base below the weight2| and in the plane of movement of the reaction arm I1, which bar in itsleft hand position, extends into the path of return movement of thereaction arm I! to its position of rest, and in its right hand positionpermits the reaction arm to solidly engage the left hand side surface ofthe base I0, thus establishing a definite and unchangeable terminalposition for return movement of the reaction arm I 1, which is theposition of rest for said reaction arm. The bar 33 has secured to itadjacent the cage I 8, an angle bar 34, the upwardly extending leg ofwhich is in the path of a pin 35 extending downwardly from the weight2|, said angle bar and said pin being so related laterally of the baseID, that during the follow through movement of the arm I 6, and afterthe reaction arm I! has begun its reactive swing from the impact on theball I9, the pin 35 engages said angle bar and thereby moves the bar 33to the left in readiness to cushion the return movement of the reactionarm I'I. It will be noted that the retractive movement of the impact armI6 above described, moves the pin 35 to the right from engagement withthe angle bar 34, freeing the bar 33 for cushioning or dampeningmovement controlled by the dash pot 32.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the impact arm 16 is mounted on the front endof a shaft 39 mounted for oscillatory movement in the housing I4, andthe rear end of said shaft has secured thereto a setting arm 31 in thepath of a roller 38 pivotally mounted on the upper end of a settingmember 39. As below described, the setting member 39 is connected byoperating devices with a setting shaft 4i] extending through and infront of the base 19, and having secured to its front end, a settinglever 4|, so that when the lever 41 is depressed, the arm 3'! is movedangularly to move the impact arm l6 away from its impact position, untila pin Ilia, carried by the arm 16, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3,engages a notch 42a. in a latch bar 42, holding the impact arm in itsraised or potential position, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, untilsaid latch bar is moved from engagement with the pin 16a, to release theimpact arm and permit it to swing downwards by gravity to acquire thedesired momentum to be communicated by impact to a ball being tested. Astop plate 43 extends rearwardly from the plate l3, to limit returnmovement of the bar 39 when the setting lever 41 moves to its upperposition after a setting operation.

As shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of. the latch bar 42 is connected by aspring 44 with a bar 45 supported by the plate [3 and forming a guidefor the latch bar, which spring tends to hold the latch bar in positionto engage the pin 16a. The upper end of the latch bar 42 is engaged bythe upper end of a bell-crank lever 46 pivotally sup ported at 41 by thebar 45 so that downward movement of the tripping rod 48 engaging theother end of the bell-crank lever, moves the latch bar 42 against theaction of the spring 44, from its position of engagement with the pin16a.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of the rod 48 is connected with theouter end of a lever 49 pivotally supported at 59, the other end of saidlever 49, as shown in Fig. 9, resting on the rear end of, a second lever5| pivotally supported on the end of the base H3 at 52 and projecting infront of the base to carry a knob 53 conveniently accessible to theoperator of the machine. A stop 54 is provided to limit upward movementof the knob 53. As a result, when the impact arm I6 is in its setposition, depressing the knob 53 moves the rod 48 downwardly, and thisin turn moves the latch bar 42 from engagement with the pin 16a, and theimpact arm 16 is free to begin its impact movement.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine is provided with a supply runway55 for delivering balls to be tested, to the impact position indicatedin Fig. 1, the outer or forward end of said runway being convenientlyaccessible to the operator of the machine, and supported by an arm 53extending from a column 51.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bar 12 has mounted on itsends, columns 5'! and58, to support a bar 59 in horizontal position and slightly below theaxis of, oscillation of the reaction arm [1, said bar 59 having mountedthereon an angle bar 60 to support as shown in Fig. 2, a bearing block6| for supporting a pointer 62, and to also support an annular dial 63cooperating with said pointer and coaxial with the support thereof. Theblock BI is provided with aflange Gla at its front end,

secured to the angle bar 60, and supporting a spring 64 connected withsaid pointer to return the latter to its zero position against aresilient stop 65 carried by said angle bar, when said pointer isreleased after a registering movement. The pointer 62 is carried by atubular shaft 66 having its bearing support in the block iii, the axis.of said tubular shaft being in line, or substantially' so, with the axisof oscillation of the reaction arm ll, operating devices below describedbeing provided between said reaction arm and said tubular shaft, to turnsaid tubular shaft and said pointer to an operated position by returnmovement of said reaction arm after its reaction swing, to its positionof rest, said operating devices also serving to hold said pointer in itsoperatedposition, until the operating train of said operating devices isopened.

As shown in Fig. 1, a brake bar 61 is provided, to retard returnmovement of the reaction arm I? to its position of rest, and this,together with the action of the dash pot 32, prevents rebound of thereaction arm ll at the end of its said return movement.

As shown in Fig. 2, a releasing bar 68 is provided to open the operatingtrain of the pointer 62 as below described, by each operation of thesetting shaft 49, to move the impact arm 16 to its potential position,as follows: said bar 68 is mounted for reciprocating movement insupporting blocks 69 and Hi carried by the angle bar 69, and in theposition shown does not affect the said operating train, opening of saidtrain being effected by movement of said bar 68 to the left. The bar 68is normally held in its right hand position by a spring H acting on asecond bar 12 parallel with the bar 68 and reciprocable therewiththrough the blocks 69 and 19. A crank 13 is provided for moving the bars68 and 12 to the left against the action of the spring 1!, which crankis formed on the upper end of a releasing rod 14 shown in Fig. 1 andmounted for oscillatory movement in the bars 12 and 59. The lower endportion of the rod 14 has secured thereto a crank '55 through the outerend of which a rod '56 extends, the right hand end of said rod asindicated in Fig. 1, having connection with the shaft 49, so that foreach setting movement of said shaft, the rod 16 is moved to the rightand.

operates the crank through a spring 1'! disposed between the left handend of the rod 16 and said crank, thereby moving the releasing bar 88 tothe left and opening the operating train of the pointer 62. The spring'I'l permits the releasing movement of the bar 68 to be less than wouldotherwise be the case, and to be completed before the end of the settingmovement of the shaft 49, which is an advantage in adjusting thereleasing mechanism controlling the continuity of said operating train.

In Figs. 1 and 2 we also illustrate recording mechanism for making arecord of. each reactive movement of the arm I! as follows: A plate 18is supported in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis ofoscillation of the reaction arm I1, and adjacent the path of movement ofthe lower portion of said arm, by inverted Ushaped bars l9, 19 securedto said plate and to the dial E3. The lower portion of the plate 18supports a horizontal shelf 89 extending rearwardly from said plate, tosupport a roll 8| of paper tape which is held in place for rotarymovement, by a ver tical arbor 82 secured to said shelf and extendingupwardly through said roll. The tape is drawn from the roll 81 asindicated at Bla, and across the front surface of the plate 18, the endof the tape being shown at 8Ib. The lower end portion of the reactionarm I! is provided with a pencil or equivalent stylus 83, which isadjusted so that its marking point is substantially in the plane of thefront surface of the plate I8. As a result, when a ball is tested, thereactive swing of the arm I'I moves the pencil 83 over the surface ofthe tape Bla in front of the plate 18, making a mark on said tapeshowing the height of said swing. The tape 8| is moved by the operator,across the plate I8 after each testing operation, sufficiently topresent a fresh surface of the tape to the pencil 83 for the nexttesting operation, and the record or records thus made may bycalculation or calibration, express in any desired system of units, theplaying value of the ball or balls tested, and afford a permanent recordof the testing of the same.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine is preferably provided with asub-base I0a, which may be of any suitable material, for example, woodor metal, to afford a substantial supporting surface.

In'Fig. 3 the relation to each other of the impact arm I6, the reactionarm I! and the retracting lever 24 and the parts carried thereby, ismore clearly shown. In this figure the impact arm I6, the impact weight2|, the plate 30, and the locking pin I So are shown in full lines intheir positions at the instant of impact upon the ball I9 being tested,and the same parts are shown respectively in dotted lines for the set orpotential position of the arm I6, at I62), 2Ib, 30a and I60; thereaction arm H, the cage I8, and the counterweight 20 are shown in fulllines for the initial or rest position of the arm I1, and the same partsare shown respectively in dotted lines for a reacted position of the armIT, at Ila, I 8a, and 20a; the retracting lever 24, retracting arm 21,cam arm 28 and cam 29 are shown in full lines for the position assumedby the arm 24 after its release to retract the impact arm I6 after afollow through movement, back to substantially its impact position, andsaid retracting lever and parts carried thereby are shown respectivelyin dotted lines for the set position of the lever 24, at 24a, 21a, 28aand 29a.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lever 24 is pivotally supported at its lower endat 84, on a stud 85 projecting upwardly from the base I 0. The screw 23is carried by a bell-crank lever 86 pivotally connected with the lever24 at 81, said bell-crank lever being pivotally connected with the lowerend of a releasing rod 88 extending upwardly adjacent the lever 24through a guide bracket 89 carried thereby and terminating at its upperend just below the upper end of the lever 24 as shown in Fig. 11. Asshown in the latter figure, the upper end of the rod 88 is looselycontained in a slot 241) in the edge of the upper end portion of thelever 24, and the upper end of said lever is mounted for lateralmovement in a slot 90a in a bar 90 supporting a light-tension fiatspring 9| above said slot 90a, so that for the set position of the lever24 shown in dotted lines at 24a, a pin 92 carried by and extending abovethe upper end of the lever 24, engages the left hand end of said spring9|, holding the lever'in its set position until the spring BI is raisedto disengage it from the pin 92. When the screw 23 is engaged by thespring 22 at the end of the follow through movement of the impact armI6, the rod 88 is raised by operation of the bell-crank lever 86,thereby raising the spring 9| and effecting disengagement of said springfrom the pin 92, and permitting the weight of the retracting arm 21 andof the cam arm 28, to move the lever 24 to its position retracting theimpact arm I6 to substantially its impact position. Retracting movementof the arm 21 is limited by engagement with a stop block 93 carried by avertical bar 94 adjacent the arm 21 and constituting a part of the frameof the machine. As shown in Fig. 3, the bar 90 is supported on the lowerends of vertical bars 95, 95 extending downwardly from the plate I3.

As shown in Fig. 3, the reaction arm I! has extending therefrom aboveits axis of oscillation, an arm 96 to which three pawls 91, 91a and 91bare pivotally connected at 98, which pawls engage a ratchet wheel 99secured to a combined drum I00 and internal gear I M mounted on a rotaryshaft I02 substantially coaxially with the axis of oscillation of thereaction arm IT. The shaft I02 rotates in the tubular shaft 66 carryingthe pointer 62 at its front end, the rear end of said tubular shafthaving secured to it within the internal gear IOI, a pinion I03connected by an idler gear I04 rotatable on a fixed stud I05, with theinternal gear IOI.

As shown in Fig. 3, the brake bar 61 is pivotally supported at I00 on ablock I01 carried by the angle bar 60, and from the block I01 an arm I08extends to support a tensioning rod I09 extending at its lower endaround the bar 61 and extending at its upper end to receive an adjustingnut IIO to change as desired, the pressure of the spring III between thearm I08 and the nut H0 and around the rod I09, to exert a desired upwardpressure on the brake bar 61. Said brake bar extends under the drum I00,and has secured to it a brake block 6111 of suitable material, forexample, leather, pressed upwardly against the drum by the upwardpressure exerted on the brake bar 61 by the spring I I I.

As shown in Fig. 3, the pencil 83 is held on the reaction arm IT by aclamping plate II2, by suitable screws as indicated, to affordconvenient adjustment of said pencil.

As shown in Fig. 3, the plate "I8 is provided with horizontal guide barsH3 at the upper and lower edges of the record tape 8Ia, to preventvertical displacement of said tape from its recording position. Theplate 18 also carries flat spring clips.:I'I4 near the discharge end 8Ibof the tape, and a flat spring II5 to hold the tape 8Ia in fiatcondition on the plate 18, to be marked by the pencil 83. The plate 18also supports a thin fiat spring IIB under the tape BIa and in the pathof movement of the pencil 83, to hold the tape 8Ia slightly away fromthe plate I8 at the recording position of the tape, and to afford aresilient surface for engagement by the point of the pencil 83, to avoidundue marking friction, and to avoid the necessity for exact adjustmentof the pencil.

As shown in Fig. 3, the dash pct 32 is provided through its outer end,with an adjusting screw II'I having a tapered longitudinal side groove II'Ia, to provide a desired degree of retardation of movement of the bar33 to the right, when acted upon by the reaction arm I! in returning toits position of rest in engagement with the base I0." A lock-nut H8 ismounted on the screw II! to hold it in any adjusted position.

As shown in Fig. 4, the setting shaft 40 is provided at its rear end,with a crank 40a carrying a ball bearing II9 in a slot I20 in a plateI2I secured to the lower end portion of a bar I22 secured at its upperportion to the right hand edge of a plate I23, to the left hand edge ofwhich plate, the lower portion of the bar 39 is secured. The plate I23is supported for oscillatory movement on a pivot I24, which, as moreclearly shown in Fig. 5, is supported on the rear end of a stud I25secured to and extending rearwardly from the post I I. The crank 40a. issubstantially vertical for the position of rest of the setting lever 4i(Figs. 2 and 6), for which position, and with the impact arm I5 in itsretracted position, the setting arm 37 is in substantially the positionand in the relation to the roller 38, shown in Fig. 4. As a result, anddue to the shape indicated of the outer end portion of the arm 3i, equalincrements of setting movement of the lever 4i, produce progressivelysmaller amounts of angular movement of the impact arm- I5, therebycompensating for the increasing moment required to raise the weight 2!.Thus a substantially uniform pressure is required downwardly on thelever 4! during a setting operation, the angular movement of the impactarm I6 being relatively rapid during the first part of a settingmovement, and then decreasing in rapidity as the required lifting momentincreases. As shown in Fig. 4, the rear end portion of the shaft 40 issupported by a bearing plate I26 secured to the post II, and as shown inFig. 10, a spring I2? is mounted on the shaft 40 between the plate I26and the base II], one end of which spring is secured to said shaft atI2Ia, the other end of said spring engaging the plate I26, to move thesetting mechanism to its position of rest when the lever M is released,which movement is limited by the stop plate 43, in a position permittingfree movement of the arm 3! relatively to the roller 38, during impactmovement of the impact arm I5.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 10, the shaft 40 has secured thereto back of theplate I26, a collar I28 which together with the enlarged front endportion of said shaft, prevents longitudinal movement of the shaft inits bearings.

As shown in Fig. 4, the base I0 supports a bar I29 extending to the leftfrom said base, to which bar the lower end of the bar 04 is secured. The

bar I29 also carries a pivotal support I30 for the lower end of thelatch bar 42, and has extending downwardly from its outer end portion, astud I3I supporting the pivot 50 of the tripping lever 49.

As shown in Fig. 5, the housing I4 supports at its ends, ball-bearingsI32 which in turn support the shaft for free oscillatory movement. Thehousing I5 similarly supports ball-bearings I33 for the shaft 434, tothe front end of which the reaction arm I! is secured by means of a hubI35. The rear end of the shaft I34 has secured thereto a drum I36 havinga circumferential groove I35a in which a thin, flexible metal tape ISIis disposed, one end of said tape being secured to said drum, and theother end of said tape, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, extending downand being secured to a hollow weight I38, so that said weight will beraised by reactive movement of the reaction arm II. The tape I3I isadjusted so that for the position of rest of the reaction arm ii, theweight I38 will be suspended by the tape, out of contact with otherparts of the machine. The shell of the weight I38 is preferably lightenough so that its requisite total weight is determined by the number ofmetal balls I380 contained in it, an aperture I385 being formed throughthe upper portion of the shell to facilitate inserting and removing theballs as desired. The total amount of weight on the tape I31 ispreferably of an amount determined by the amount of momentum developedby impact movement of the impact arm I6, and the reactive ability of theballs, or other articles tested, to the end that the maximum reactivemovement of the reaction arm II will effect operation of the registeringpointer 62, well within its limit of movement and within the registeringrange of the dial 52.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the housings I4 and I5 are supported inhorizontal, parallel relation, one above the other, by a plate I39secured to said housings and also to a block I40, which block is securedto the upper end of the post II.

In Fig. 5, the support of the tubular shaft 66 by the bearing block Iiiis shown, said shaft being freely rotary in said block, and the shaftI02 supporting the brake drum I00, being supported by and freely rotaryin the tubular shaft 66. The shaft I02 has secured to its front end, acollar IIIZa. to prevent longitudinal movement of said shaft in thetubular shaft 55, and the block BI is mounted on the bar 59, with theaxis of the shaft I02 substantially in alinement with the axis of theshaft I34. The block Iii is provided with a rear flange ISIb supportingthe bearing stud I05 for the idler gear I04, as indicated, and themanner of supporting the screw 3! by means of a stud I4I extending fromand carried by the retracting lever 24, is also shown. The pawls 9?, 91aand 071) are broken away in Fig. 5 to more clearly show the partscooperating therewith.

In Fig. 7 the releasing mechanism for the pointer I52, is shown in planview to an enlarged scale. The rods 68 and I2 are secured together byclamping blocks I42 and I43, the crank I3 by its operation abovedescribed, engaging the block I42 and moving said rods to the left inthe supporting blocks 69 and I0, against the action of the spring II.The block I43 by engaging the supporting block 69, limits movement ofthe rods 68 and I2 to the right by the spring II when the crank I3 isturned to the right to release said rods from operating pressure. A stopblock I44 secured to the angle bar 60 in the path of the block I43,limits releasing movement of said rods by the operation of the crank I3.The right hand end portion of the rod 58 is bent laterally at 08a toextend under the pawls 91, 9Ia and 91b, and at its right hand end asshown in Fig. 8, said rod is provided with an upwardly bent end 6812 innotches therefor in the pawls, so that releasing movement of the rod 68as described, will move said pawls to the left and from engagement withthe ratchet wheel 99. The pawls are shown in Fig. 8 in the position theyoccupy when the reaction arm II is in its position of rest, for whichposition, with the rod I58 in its right hand position, the end portions68a and 68b of said rod are not in engagement with but are closelyadjacent to the edges of said pawls.

As. shown in Fig. '7, the rods 08 and I2 have secured to them adjacentthe supporting block I0, an angle plate I45, to the upwardly extendingflange of which, a bell-crank lever I is pivotally secured at I41, saidlever I46 having adjusting screws I48 and I49 engaging the plate I45. Asshown in Fig. 3, the upper end of the lever I46 engages a notch in theupper end of a lever I50 pivotally mounted at I5I on a stud E52supported by and extending rearwardly from the angle bar 60. The leverI50 is supported vertically in the plane of the brake bar GI, and asshown in Fig. 4, said lever is continued below its pivotal support ISIand formed at its-lower end into a cam IIla engaging the upper surfaceof said brake bar.

As a result, when the rods 68 and 12 are moved during a releasingoperation, the lever I50 is rocked on its pivotal support I5I and itslower cam end I50a depresses the brake bar 61. When the reaction arm I1is returned to its position of rest by the action of the weight I38, thepawls 91, 91a and 91b drive the ratchet wheel 99 against the frictionalresistance of the brake block 61a pressing against the drum I60, whichin turn through the gearing described, moves the pointer 82 to registeron the dial 63, the amount of the displacement of the reaction arm l1.The adjustment of the brake spring I II is such as to insure suchdeliberate return of the reaction arm I1 to its position of rest, thatthere is no possibility of overthrow of the registering devices, and incooperation with the action of the dash pot 32, no rebound from the baseI9 when its rest position is reached, thus insuring accurate operationof the registering devices, yet insuring positive return to said restposition because of the dominance of the weight I38. The resultingposition assumed by the pointer 62 is maintained by the pawls 91, 91aand 91b and by the engagement of the brake block 61a with the drum I00,until the next movement of the impact arm I6 to its set or potentialposition by depression of the lever 4|, which, as above described, movessaid pawls from engagement with the ratchet wheel 99, thus freeing saidratchet wheel and the gearing connecting the same with the pointer 62,for operation by the spring 64 to move the pointer 62 back to its zeroposition. However, in view of the pressure of the brake block 61a beingadjusted to oppose a considerable portion of the efiect of the weightI38, and in view of it being desirable that the spring 64 shall be nostronger than required to positively overcome the friction of thedriving gearing connected with said pointer, the spring 64 is not ableto overcome the brake friction adapted to partially oppose the action ofthe weight I 38. To take care of this condition, at the same time thatthe pawls 91, 91a and 912) are disengaged from the ratchet wheel 99, thecam I 50a on the lever I50 depresses the brake bar 61 sufiiciently sothat the decreased pressure of the brake block 61a on the drum I90,permits the spring 64 to move the pointer 62 back to its Zero position.against the spring stop 65, and slowly enough so that it will come torest against said spring stop, and so be in a position to accuratelyregister the next operation of the reaction arm I1. The adjusting screwsI48 and I49 afiord a means for accurately adjusting the lever I50through the bell-crank lever I46, to secure the requisite decrease ofpressure of the block 61a against the drum I08 to secure the resultsdescribed.

As shown in Fig; 8, each of the pawls 91, 91a and 9117 has a singletooth, as shown at 91c, 91d and 91e respectively, and said pawls arealike, excepting that said teeth are displaced from each other angularlyof the ratchet wheel 99, so the spacing from one tooth to the next willequal one third of the distance from any tooth on the ratchet wheel tothe next one of its teeth. In this way, the accuracy of engagement ofthe pawls with the ratchet wheel is the same as though the ratchet wheelhad three times as many teeth and a single pawl were used. This avoidsthe use and disadvantages of minute teeth on the ratchet wheel and givesthe same accuracy of result. The pawls 91, 91a and 91b are sufficientlythin so that their combined thickness is substantially less than ,theface of. the ratchet wheel 99, insuring the proper engagement at alltimes of any one of the pawl teeth with the teeth of the ratchet wheel,as occasion may require.

The dial 63 may be graduated in any desired manner, so that it willeither by calculation or calibration, indicate the reactive response ofthe article tested in any desired units.

The cycle of operation of our machine is as follows. Beginning with thereaction arm I1 in its initial position, the pointer 62 in its lastactuated position, and the impact arm I6 in its retracted position,which positions result from the last testing operation, the settinglever 4| is first depressed which releases the pointer 62 for return toits initial position and at the same time disengages the pawls 91, 91a,91b from the ratchet wheel 99, further setting movement moving theimpact arm IE to its raised position engaging the latch bar 42, at thesame time moving the retractor lever 24 to its set position; a ball I9to be tested is then placed on the descending runway 55 and rolls toimpact position in the ball cage I8 on the arm I1; the tripping lever 5|is then depressed which releases the impact arm I6, the weight 2|carried thereby strikes the ball and the follow through of the weightpermitted by the set position of the retractor 24, backs up the ball sothat its resilience imparts a corresponding blow or operating force tothe reaction arm I1, moving it upward and raising the weight I38 untilthe force of the impact is spent, at the same time moving the pawls 91,91a, 91b freely over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 99; during thefollow through of the impact arm !5, said arm moves the bar 33 into thereturn path of the arm I1, thereby moving the piston in the dashpot 32to its operative position, and at the same time the arm I6 releases theretractor lever 24 which in turn moves the arm I6 and the weight 2| backfrom impact position and out of the path of return movement of the armI1; during said follow through movement and the beginning of upwardmovement of the arm I1, the ball I9 is delivered to the upper end of thedischarge runway 25, down which it rolls out of the path of returnmovement of the arm I1, while the latter is moving upward; when the armI1 reaches its uppermost position, the weight I38 moves said arm towardsits initial position, checked somewhat by the brake bar 61 and brakeblock 61a, which return movement of the arm I 1, by engagement of thepawls 91, 91a, 9112 with the ratchet wheel 99, moves the pointer 62 overthe dial to its indicating position, the movement of the pointer beingproportional to the return movement of the arm I1, which latter ofcourse equals the impact movement of said arm, as a result of which thepointer movement affords an accurate indication of the amount of theblow or impact imparted by the ball to the impact arm I1, which in turnis an indication of the degree of resilience of the ball tested; duringthe final part of the return movement of the arm I1, it engages the bar33, so that the return movement of said arm just before it reaches itsinitial position, moves the piston in the dash pct 32, checking themovement of said arm and insuring that it come to rest in its initialposition without rebound, to avoid corresponding inaccuracy in theindication afforded by the pointer 62; when the arm I1 reaches itsinitial position, the machine is in readiness for its next cycle ofoperation.

Our testing machine above described, thus affords a means for accuratelyindicating and recording the reactive response of articles tested,either relatively to each other if no particular system of units isemployed, or relatively to a standard test article, if the same be usedas a basis of comparison, or in any desired system of units, dependingupon the calibration or construction of the dial and recordingmechanism.

While we have shown our invention in the particular embodiment abovedescribed, it will be understood that we do not limit ourselves to thoseparticular constructions, as we may employ equivalents thereof known tothe art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, and operatingmechanism between said reaction arm and said registering devices, saidoperating mechanism being inactive for reactive movement of saidreaction arm and operated by return movement of said reaction arm to itsimpact receiving position.

2. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, setting mechanismfor moving said impact arm to a potential position, and restoringmechanism for said registering devices and activated by said settingmechanism.

3. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, operatingmechanism between said reaction arm and said registering devices, saidoperating mechanism being inactive for reactive movement of saidreaction arm and operated by return movement of said reaction arm to itsimpact receiving position, setting mechanism for moving said impact armto a potential position, and restoring mechanism for said registeringdevices and activated by said setting mechanism.

4. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, operatingmechanism between said reaction arm and said registering devices, saidoperating mechanism being inactive for reactive movement of saidreaction arm and operated by return movement of said reaction arm to itsimpact receiving position, and retarding devices associated with saidoperating mechanism and retarding said return movement of said reactionarm.

5. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, and retractingmechanism associated with said impact arm and released thereby at theend of the impact movement thereof, operation of said retractingmechanism moving said impact arm back from its impact position.

6. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, retractingmechanism associated with said impact arm and released thereby at theend of the impact movement thereof, operation of said retractingmechanism moving said impact arm back from its impact position, andsetting mechanism for moving said impact arm to a potential position andfor moving said retracting mechanism to its set position out of the pathof impact movement of said impact arm.

'7. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, and loading meansopposing reactive movement of said reaction arm and tending to hold thelatter in its impact receiving position.

8. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of the ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, and loading meansopposing reactive movement of said reaction arm and tending to hold thelatter in its impact receiving position,

the opposing force of said loading means being uniform throughout thereactive movement of said reaction arm.

9. In a machine for testing golf balls and the like, the combination ofan oscillatory impact arm carrying an impact surface, an oscillatoryreaction arm, a ball cage carried by said reaction arm in the path ofsaid impact surface, said ball cage exposing a surface of a ball beingtested to the impact of said impact surface, means for producingsubstantially uniform impacts of said impact surface upon ballssuccessively tested, registering devices showing the amount of reactionof said reaction arm to the impact upon a tested ball, and loading meansopposing reactive movement of said reaction arm and tending to hold thelatter in its impact receiving position, said loading means comprising adrum operated by said reaction arm, and a weight suspended from saiddrum.

10. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, and loading means opposingreactive movement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latterin its position of rest.

11. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, loading means opposing reactivemovement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latter in itsposition of rest, and registering devices showing the amount of reactivemovement of said reaction member.

12. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, loading means opposing reactivemovement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latter in itsposition of rest, registering devices showing the amount of reactivemovement of said reaction member, and operating mechanism between saidreaction member and said registering devices, said operating mechanismbeing inactive for reactive movement of said reaction member andoperated by movement of said reaction member to its position of rest.

13. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, loading means opposing reactivemovement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latter in itsposition of rest, registering devices showing the amount of reactivemovement of said reaction member, setting mechanism for moving saidimpact member to its set position, and restoring mechanism for saidregistering devices and activated by said setting mechanism.

14. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, loading means opposing reactivemovement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latter in itsposition of rest, registering devices showing the amount of reactivemovement of said reaction member, operating mechanism between saidreaction member and said registering devices, said operating mechanismbeing inactive for reactive movement of said reaction member andoperated by movement of said reaction member to its position of rest,and retarding devices associated with said operating mechanism andretarding movement of said reaction member to its position of rest.

15. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, loading means opposing reactivemovement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latter in itsposition of rest, registering devices showing the amount of reactivemovement of said reaction member, and retracting mechanism associatedwith said impact member and released thereby at the end of the impactmovement thereof, operation of said retracting mechanism moving saidimpact member away from its impact position.

16. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, loading means opposing reactivemovement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latter in itsposition of rest, registering devices showing the amount of reactivemovement of said reaction member, retracting mechanism associated withsaid impact member and released thereby at the end of the impactmovement thereof, operation of said retracting mechanism moving saidimpact member away from its impact position, setting mechanism formoving said impact member to its set position and for moving saidretracting mechanism to its set position, and restoring mechanism forsaid registering devices and activated by said setting mechanism.

1'7. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, and loading means opposingreactive movement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latterin its position of rest, the opposing force of said loading means beinguniform throughout the reactive movement of said reaction member.

18. In a machine for testing elastic articles, the combination of animpact member movable from a set position to an impact position andhaving an impact surface, means for developing uniform momentum of saidimpact member at its impact position for successive testing operations,means for holding an article to be tested with its surface at saidimpact position, a reaction member having a position of rest adjacentsaid article with said article between said reaction member and saidimpact position, said reaction member being movable from said positionof rest to an impact-operated position, and loading means opposingreactive movement of said reaction member and tending to hold the latterin its position of rest, said loading means comprising a drum operatedby said reaction member, and a weight suspended from said drum.

WILBERT W. CRANFORD. GEORGE I. BUTLER.

